Stump cutter



March 3, 1964 H; E, HODGES ETAL 3,123,112

STUMP CUTTER Fild DSC. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV ENTORS March 3, 1964 H. E. HoDGEs ETAL 3,123,112

STUMP CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheel'l 2 Filed Dec. 22, 1958 United States Patent O 3,123,112 STUMP CUTIER Hubert Earl Hodges and Burton Garvin Frame, Cedar Lahe, Ind., assignors to Cedar Lake Engineering Qc., Cedar Le, 1nd., a copartnership Filed Dec. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 782,119 4 Claims. (Cl. 1414-2) This invention relates to a stump cutter and has reference more particularly to a portable apparatus or implemen-t for cutting o the top of a stump and particularly adapted to cut it olf to `a substantial level below the surrounding surface of the ground so that it may be completely covered with -a thick layer of earth.

Sawing equipment is available for cutting trees or cutting off stumps at relatively low levels above the ground, but it is usually desirable to cut the stumps off to la lower level, generally at `a substantial distancebelow the surrounding surface of the mound, so that lthey not only oder no obstruction thereabove but yat a `depth to permit complete coverage 4of the stump with a substantial layer of earth.

Facilities have been provided heretofore for this purpose, as for example with `a standard which .is set on the :ground or a post driven into the ground on which a cutting device is mounted to swing yand tilt and slide on the standard or post, brut these `are awkward to use and manipulate and inconvenient for change yof position laround the stump and present some hazard on account of possible dis- [placement of the post or standard and they also have not been provided with regulation of the depth or width of out, and present consider-able difficulty in making a satisfactory cut.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide an improved stump cutting apparatus or implement which is readily adaptable to the varying conditions encountered in use thereof and which is simple in construction and `conve-nient to manipulate; to insure such stability of the implement in use that it is not accidentally displaceable `and hazards lare avoided; to permit location of the implement in yany desired posi-tion with relation to the stump and convenient change of position thereof as conditions may require from Itime to time during the cutting operation; to provide elevational and lateral tilting adjustments which may be `desired for depth of cut and to compensate for uneven ground support of the implement; to provide convenient and dependable regulation of depth and thickness of cut for better cutting operation and avoidance of digging which may be detrimental or hazardous; to provide an improved lcutter which is particularly suitable -for the hard usage to which the cutters are subjected in such cutting operations; and to provide easy transport of the implement from place to place and without delay in operating on successive stumps, these and other objects -being :accomplished as pointed out more particularly hereinafter and :as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stump cutting machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top view of the frame of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, with the engine or motor thereof removed and ythe motor shaft in section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the cutter mechanism assembly and mounting thereof;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view Iof a portion of the cut controlling subassemlbly illustrated in FIG. 3 and illustrating its relation yto a stump being cut by the router of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is .a detailed view of one of the cutter bits of the routing cutter utilized in the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the elevation adjusting facilities of the present invention in a diferent position than that in which it is shown in FIG. l.

3,123,112 Patented Mar. 3, 1964 As shown in the drawings and explained panticularly hereinafter, the machine or implement comprises an elongated frame 10 which is supponted by a pair of wheels 11 at one end in lan elevationally adjustable manner and has a pair of widely spaced grip portions or handles 12 at the other end for manipulation of the implement by the operator rand this frame is provided at a place relatively near to the handle end with depending cutting mechanism 13 of router type at a place where the operation thereof is readily observable by the operator, `and this cutting mechanism is operated by ya belt 14 from a motor or prime mover 15 of gasoline `engine type which is mounted on the top of the frame.

The trarne 19 is preferably of pipe with the operator end pontion thereof in :the form of a loop with a return bend 16 providing laterally spaced side arms 17 extend-ing in a direction which will be referred to herein for convenience las rearwardly toward the operators end where they are spread apart divergently as indicated at 18 to provide a relatively wide spacing of the grip portions '12 and immediately ahead of said gzip pontions the side arms are rigidly connected by -a cross brace 19. The divergent portions 18 also extend upwardly to position the handles I12 sat a conveniently high elevation for manipulation by the operator.

At the middle of the return bend 16 a fonwarddy extending internally threaded socket 20 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto for connection of a pipe which extends forwardly therefrom and has a bracket plate 21 attached thereto by which the frame is supported by the 4ground wheels 111 for portability of the implement, the Isaid forwardly extending pipe being preferably composed of two sections, one of which is `a short nipple 22 and the other of which is a relatively long pipe length 23 which is secured to the nipple 22 by a conventional union Z4 providing convenient adjusta-bil-ity of the pipe section 23 rotatably with respect to the nipple 22.

'Ilhe pipe length 23 is slotted at the forward end to receive the bracket plate 21 therein in upright position in which it is secured by two bolts 25 and 26, and this plate 21 has an axle supporting tube 27 rigidly secured thereto, `as Afor example by welding, at the bottom of the plate and .at its forward extremity (in the position of said plate as shown in FIG. l) and tube extends an equal distance at the opposite sides of the plate 2.1 `and is braced thereto by the rods 28.

An axle 29 extends through the tube 27 and has the ground wheels 11 mounted thereon at opposite ends respectively, and these Wheels are quite widely spaced to provide ample lateral stability for the implement.

The plate 21 is adjustable in the slot of the tube 23 for varying the elevation at which the frame 10 is supported above the ground and for this purpose the plate has a series of bolt holes 36 arranged at close intervals arcuately around the bolt 25 and adapted to receive the bolt 26, so that the frame may be adjusted. to the. high elevation as shown in FIG. 1 or to the low position, as shown in FIG. 6, and to a number of intermediate positions providing a wide range of vertical adjustability of the frame on the wheels.

The motor 15 is mounted in upright position on the side arms 17 immediately ahead of the return bend 16 and may be secured at its base on a mounting plate 31 or be provided with flanges for mounting thereof, such plate being shown in FIG. 2, and this plate is provided with slots 32 to receive bolts which are passed through the arms 17 for securing the plate adjustably thereto, and the motor shaft 33 projects downwardly through an opening 34 and has a sheave 35 secured thereto underneath the plate 31.

The ycutter mechanism 13 is mounted on the side arms 17 rearwardly of the motor 15 on a plate 36 having up- Icured in the'chuck .dfi in the usual manner and is pro- 'vided with a plurality of cutter bits 42 therearound of the form shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 with outer vertical cutter edges 43 anda bottom cutter edge 44 inclined downwardly and outwardly to meet the vertical cutter edge at an acuteqangle as shown in'FiG. 5.

'As the cutter isrotated by the-engine, the edges 43 will cut the stumpalonggenerally vertical lines while the edges 44 will cut the stump principally at the acute angled point'along a generally horizontal plane thereby minimizing frictional contact between the stump and lower surface of the tool and providing somewhat'of -a saw tooth leffect at the bottom with clearance above rthe cut which facilitates the cutting and preserves the cutters.

It is important in the stump cutting operations to control the width and depthof cut and Vfor this purpose rounded face button-like shoes 45 and de are provided whichare positionedto engage against previously cut faces ofthe stump for regulation of the width and depth of cut respectively.

For supporting these shoes an angle iron type of bra-el;-

et-47 is secured to the bearing '37 to extend downwardly n .therefrom yand has a side'ilange 43 through which the threaded stem 49 of the width cut shoe d5 is threaded near the'bottom of said flange and secured by a nut Si) for adjustment thereof and this bracket has a bottom plate 51 through which the stem 52 of the depth cut shoe '46 is threaded and secured by a nut 53 for adjustment thereof.

"In removing Va stump the operator may first Vset the `cutting width controlling shoe or stopifor the desired width of cut and the depth controlling shoe 46 for the desired depth of cut. After the engine is started the operator, by proper manipulation of the handles l2, bringsthe cuttingitool into cutting engagement with the upstanding side surface of the stumpand after an initial y:cut-into the side of the stump, may allow the machine to be supported on the shoe or stop 46 as the operator moves the tool laterally from side to side of the stump during .each cutting pass. During these cutting passes theframe easilyipivots about the supporting wheels 11. For accurate control of each cutting pass the operator need concern himself only with maintaining the shoe or stop 4S against the upstanding surface of the stump while the tool is supported by the wheels lil and lshoe or stop 46.

As successive layers of stump are removed, the bracket -21 may be adjusted to lower the frame on the wheels to lperform the successive cutting operations in parallel planes or to compensate for ground supporting surfaces at varying elevations adjacent the stump.

Moreover, if the ground is not level at the stump location, Vas'for example on hillsides, the wheels may be adjustedto necessary positions of angularity laterally-with respect to the'frame by releasing the union24 and relatively adjusting the pipe sections 22 vand 23 so that the router swings in the desired plane of cutting operation irrespective of the -slope of the surface on which the ground wheels are supported.

When finished with a stump removal operation, the operator may conveniently wheel the machine to any other location, and commence another stump removing operation without requiring any elaborate setup time.

While we have shown and described our invention in a preferred form, we are aware that various changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing i from the principles of the invention, the scope Vof which is to be determined bythe .appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A stump router including a frame having one end thereof wheel supported and having an operator guiding handle at the other end thereof, said frame having a depending routing tool and power means forV driving said routing tool, a depending support carried Vby said fratrie, an outwardly facing cut width controlling Yshoe having a stem in adjustable threaded engagement with said support, and a downwardly facing cut depth controlling shoe, said depth controlling shoe having a stem Vin adjustable 'threaded vengagement .withsaid vsupport, ywhereby the frame and tool maypivot.lgenerallyiabout said wheel supported end while maii'itainedinsubstanL ltially the same planeby said depth controllingshoe and rtherwidth ofthecut is-controlled by engagementof said outwardly facing shoe withv a generally vertically VeX- ltending surface of the stump.

2. A stump router including a generally elongated frame anda prime mover Asupported on Vsaid frame interr-y mediate the ends thereof in opstanding relation thereto, a ground engaging wheel support Afor one 'end Vof said frame providing longitudinal :and lateral movement of said frame over the ground, and an operator manipu lable handle portion at the other end of saidfrarne to provide a guiding supportfor the frame, a rout-ingltool supported by said frame intermediate the ends thereof and depending therefrom, and means providing a `driving connection between said prime mover and said routing tool, said wheel support including a pair ofwheels carried by a plate, said plate being'pivotally mounted on said'frame, andrneansare provided for adjusting the position of said plate and-'thereby adjusting-the posi-V tioniof said wheels vertically vwith respectto 4said frame to allow adjustability of the height of said frameirelative to. a supporting surface.

3. A .stump router including a generally elongated frame and a prime mover supported on said fra-me interrnediatethe ends thereof inupstanding relation-thereto, a groundengaging wheel supportvforoneiend ofivsaid frame providing longitudinal Vand Ylateral Vmovement -of said iframe over the ground, and an operator manipulable handle portion at the other end of said 1frame to provide a guiding support fortheframeVa routing'tool supported-by said frame intermediatelthe endsthereof and dependingtherefrom, and means providing a driving connection between'sai'd prime mover and `said routing tool, said vwheel support including arpair of wheels supportedon an` axle, a plate-pivotally mountedonfsaid frame, said aXleIbeingfcarrie'd by said plate, saidplate having a plurality Vof apertures spaced with respect to one another and equidistantly spaced from the .pivot axis, and la securing pin passedthrough said-frame and a selected one ofvsaid apertures'for alselected heighttof said frame and routing tool relative .to'saidwheels y4. A stump router including -aTrame'having one end thereof wheel supported yand an operator` guidinghandle at the other end thereof,- said1frameA having powerimeans intermediate the ends thereof and-a depending'routmg tool driven by said power means, land a supporting-shoe Carried by the frame intermediate Vthefends-thereof and having `astump engaging lower surfaceiwhereby the intermediate-portion of theframeis `supported bylsaid shoeV as the tool pivots about said wheel'supportedrend during 'movement through the cutting passes on astump, said shoe being'carried'by a support'and la cutwidth controlling shoe is Ycarried by saidV support with a'stump engaging face thereof extending generally transversely'to Y the face of said rst named shoe, said rst named/shoe being adjustable upwardly and downwardly with respect to said support, and said cut width controlling shoe being adjustable outwardly and inwardly with relation to said support, whereby the depthand width .of the cut are controlled by allowing the assembly to rest onsaid first 5 6 named shoe while the second named shoe is pressed 2,591,002 PedrOn Apr. 1, 1952 against said stump, 2,672,898 Schuser Mar. 23, 1954 2,815,049 Herscovitch Dec. 3, 1957 References Cited in the le of this patent 2,825,370 Fieber Mar. 4, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,460,617 Seen et al. July 3, 1923 487,366 France Apr. 4, 1918 1,761,439 Driskell June 3, 1930 126,747 Australia Feb. 6, 1948 2,568,799 Fuller Sept. 25, 1951 

1. A STUMP ROUTER INCLUDING A FRAME HAVING ONE END THEREOF WHEEL SUPPORTED AND HAVING AN OPERATOR GUIDING HANDLE AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, SAID FRAME HAVING A DEPENDING ROUTING TOOL AND POWER MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ROUTING TOOL, A DEPENDING SUPPORT CARRIED BY SAID FRAME, AN OUTWARDLY FACING CUT WIDTH CONTROLLING SHOE HAVING A STEM IN ADJUSTABLE THREADED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SUPPORT, AND A DOWNWARDLY FACING CUT DEPTH CONTROLLING SHOE, SAID DEPTH CONTROLLING SHOE HAVING A STEM IN ADJUSTABLE THREADED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SUPPORT, WHEREBY THE FRAME AND TOOL MAY PIVOT GENERALLY ABOUT SAID WHEEL SUPPORTED END WHILE MAINTAINED IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE BY SAID DEPTH CONTROLLING SHOE AND THE WIDTH OF THE CUT IS CONTROLLED BY ENGAGEMENT OF SAID OUTWARDLY FACING SHOE WITH A GENERALLY VERTICALLY EXTENDING SURFACE OF THE STUMP. 